Former UFC fighter Diana Belbita spoke candidly about Islam Makhachev‘s place in the GOAT debate. Belbita believes Makhachev has proven to be an all-time great and holds him in high regard.
Makhachev, the reigning UFC welterweight champion, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Ian Machado Garry. It was a significant milestone as it marked the Dagestani’s first successful welterweight title defense. Additionally, he also joined the small list of legends to successful defend a UFC championship in two different divisions.
Belbita outlined how Makhachev stacks up against other MMA greats who are also fixtures in the GOAT debate. She not only believes Makhachev belongs in the conversation, but noted that there are only two others ahead of him.
Diana Belbita Places Islam Makhachev High on Her MMA GOAT List
Diana Belbita believes Islam Makhachev’s body of work at lightweight and welterweight should immediately push into the top tier. Belbita highlighted the caliber of fighters Makhachev has faced throughout his title reigns, dismissing any criticism regarding the quality of competition.
“We have Jon Jones that I think he is definitely one of the best. We have Georges St-Pierre and I feel like Makhachev is somewhere there. I will count him in the top three, at least top five. The guy has proved himself so many times, fought some of the best. It’s not like he just faced fighters that have more losses than wins,” Belbita told The Game Plan.
She continued:
“I really think those fighters deserve more every time when I have to think which one deserves more than the other. For me, most of those fighters if you reach the championship level in the UFC, you should definitely be there at the top and in that conversation. But yeah, I’m not gonna say he’s first or second, but he’s definitely top three best of all time and on my list.”
Belbita Breaks Down Potential Makhachev vs. Carlos Prates Fight
Belbita also shared her thoughts on Makhachev possibly defending the welterweight title against Carlos Prates next. The Brazilian is reportedly the next contender in line to challenge Makhachev, which could be an interesting matchup.
Despite the size discrepancy between Makhachev and Prates, Belbita is still backing the Dagestani to win. She believes the welterweight champion proved he is not out of place at 170 pounds.
Belbita pointed to Makhachev’s performance against Machado Garry as a strong indicator that he can succeed against a larger opponent.
“I will never count Islam [Makhachev] out. I’ll never think he goes into a fight as an underdog. The guy is just so good striking, grappling, everything he does is just so good. But at the same time, we have Carlos Prates, who is very unpredictable, very explosive, and very durable,” Belbita told The Game Plan.
She continued:
“Everything is possible. I’m not gonna say who I think is gonna be the winner because it’s hard when you have such an explosive and unpredictable fighter like Carlos Prates. And you have such a durable fighter that has done it all, changed weight classes, beaten champions, and been the best for a long time. It’s hard to pick a winner because anything can happen.”
Ex-UFC Star Gives Candid Take on Islam Makhachev’s Place in the GOAT Debate